Category Archives: FA21-Grp-10

Topic: Defenses against supernatural creatures

Nian (Ian Hsu)

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Title: Nian

General Information about Item:

  • Folklore, customs
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Chinese
  • Informant: VH
  • Date Collected: 10-20-21

Informant Data:

VH grew up in Taipei City in Taiwan before immigrating to the US in 1989 in pursuit of tertiary education in Dallas, Texas. Following the receipt of her degree, she moved to the California Bay Area to work and has resided in a predominantly Asian community there ever since. She grew up surrounded by Chinese culture and is of Chinese descent herself.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: Every year during Chinese New Year, people set off firecrackers, fill their house with red-colored objects, and use bright lights all night. This is done in order to scare off an ancient monster named Nian, whose story is written below.

Social Context: Reflecting on Chinese New Year, I asked VH why people were setting off firecrackers and she told me the following story in return. Presumably, she learned this from her own family in Taiwan in her youth. No other people were present.

Item:

Every year during Chinese New Year, it is believed that a monster known as Nian would come out from the ocean where it lived and eat people and livestock. As a result, villagers would usually flee to the mountains on that day to escape Nian. However, one day an old man came to the village and said he could drive the beast away. The villagers did not believe him, and ran away anyway. However, the old man stayed, and was able to drive away Nian with red-colored items, firecrackers, and bright lights. Once the villagers returned to find him alive, they believed that these were used to scare Nian away. As a result, every year on Chinese New Year, people use the color red, firecrackers, and bright lights to scare away Nian.

Informant Comment:

VH thought these traditions were all in good fun.

Collector Comment:

It was unclear whether the informant actually believed this superstition, or if this was more a tradition.

Tags/Keywords:

  • Custom
  • Folktale
  • Superstition

Baalagiri dosey (Isuru Abeysekara)

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Title: Baalagiri dosey

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition, supernatural forces
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
  • Informant: Isuru Abeysekara
  • Date Collected: 10-21-2021

Informant Data:

  • Isuru Abeysekara was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 17th, 1998. He grew up in Sri Lanka before he moved to the United States for his undergraduate education. He is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Computer Science modified with Quantitative Social Science.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Baalagiri Dosey is a demon that is believed to cause illnesses in newborns. He visits households in the dead of the night and searches for babies. When he finds them, he touches them on the forehead which subsequently causes the babies to fall ill. To trick the demon, families started writing “Not today, tomorrow” in an attempt to trick the demon into believing that their households did not have any babies and that he should not waste time looking for a newborn in such households.
  • Social Context: Isuru hails from a deeply traditional Sinhala family. The Sinhalese are the biggest ethnic group in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan tradition is primarily based on Sinhala beliefs. When he visited his cousin’s newborn daughter for the first time, he noticed the phrase above on their door, and questioned the reasoning behind such an act.

Item:

  • “Baalagiri Dosey, not today, tomorrow”.

Associated file:

Example of the phrase above on a door

Collector’s Name: Isuru Abeysekara

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Superstition
  • Supernatural forces

Sri Lankan exorcisms (Isuru Abeysekara)

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Title: Sri Lankan exorcisms

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
  • Informant: Isuru Abeysekara
  • Date Collected: 10-21-2021

Informant Data:

  • Isuru Abeysekara was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 17th, 1998. He grew up in Sri Lanka before he moved to the United States for his undergraduate education. He is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Computer Science modified with Quantitative Social Science.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Sri Lankans claim that demons often affect the physical security of a person through possession. When a person is believed to be possessed by a demon, village elders often perform exorcisms with the participation of the local community. The exorcism is an event of mime and dance. Here, the elder dresses up as Vesamuni, the king of the underworld while participating dancers wear masks depicting famous demons in Sri Lankan cultures. These demons are brought to life by the dancers, who state their identity and purpose. The demon associated with the sick person ‘enters’ their body, whereupon the chief exorcist attempts to drive away the demon through threats, torture and bribes. The ritual ends when the exorcist non-fatally draws blood from a rooster.
  • Social Context: Isuru’s family hails from a rural community in the Matara province. In one instance, he watched his cousin brother acting possessed. In order to remedy the situation, his family leaned on their culture and traditional roots to believe that he had in fact been possessed by a demon and had an exorcism arranged for him. Although he had laughed at the affair, he was also keen to know the cultural context behind this ritual at which point his uncle elaborated on the exorcism rituals.

Item:

  • “Run away you bastard, I am King Vesamuni and I command you to leave this boy’s body.”

Associated file:

Exorcism in action

Collector’s Name: Isuru Abeysekara

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Superstition
  • Exorcisms

Protective charms and bracelets (Isuru Abeysekara)

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Title: Protective charms and bracelets

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
  • Informant: Isuru Abeysekara
  • Date Collected: 10-21-2021

Informant Data:

  • Isuru Abeysekara was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka on May 17th, 1998. He grew up in Sri Lanka before he moved to the United States for his undergraduate education. He is a senior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Computer Science modified with Quantitative Social Science.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Sri Lankans believe that entities from the underworld often roam the world of the living in the night. The cultural belief is that demons have the power to cause harm to humans; it could be minute, in the form of an illness, or even death in more extreme cases. As a result, Sri Lankans devised a preventive method that involves wearing bracelets. The act of receiving a bracelet is ritualistic since Buddhist monks chant protective prayers while tying it around the recipient’s hand. 
  • Social Context: Sri Lanka’s primary religion is Indian Buddhism. As a Buddhist himself, Isuru has witnessed the importance of Buddhism in every aspect of Sri Lankan culture. There exists Buddhist prayers to protect one against demons, but Sri Lankans innovated by using the bracelets as a physical manifestation of the prayers so that they would be protected against demons at all times. Since it is such a common practice, he learned about the use and background of the bracelet when he questioned his mother.

Item:

  • When the Buddha was alive he mentioned that there were several of his sermons that were so powerful that the mere reciting of them could bring protection to our lives. 

Associated file:

Example of receiving a protective charm

Collector’s Name: Isuru Abeysekara

Tags/Keywords:

  • Ritual
  • Superstition
  • Buddhist

Throwing Salt (Quinn Calhoun)

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Title: Throwing Salt over Shoulder

General Information about Item:

  • Ritual, Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: KC
  • Date Collected: 10-21-21

Informant Data:

  • KC grew up and currently lives in Richmond, VA. She received her BA in art history from JMU in 1988 before teaching students of various ages from elementary school to college in various art courses. She and the rest of her family are of predominantly Irish-Catholic heritage. 

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Salt is believed, among various religions and cultures, to have certain properties which ward off spirits or promote good health. This specific practice seems to be originally a Buddhist Tradition, where one would perform the practice at a funeral to protect one’s household. 
  • Social Context: Quinn originally learned of the practice when his mother described her mother and some of her practices, who died long before he was born. KC originally learned of the tradition by asking her grandmother and mother about why they performed this practice at a family dinner. When the two explained the practice to her, they laughed it off as a superstition, she remembers noticing her mother performing the action more as she was conscious of it and realized that it had become a tradition nonetheless.

Item:

  • If someone talks ill of the dead or curses in anger, that individual ought to throw salt over their left shoulder to ward off evil spirits, or the devil, from entering their home and cursing them. It is also customary to pray before this action.

Associated file:

Example of table salt one might throw over one’s shoulder

Informant’s Comments:

  • It became something common enough that I find myself doing it mindlessly while working in the kitchen if I grab a pinch of salt—even if I haven’t cursed.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Recall seeing the practice in own household as a child, yet had thought nothing of it when young.

Collector’s Name: Quinn Calhoun

Tags/Keywords:

  • Superstition
  • Irish Catholic
  • Conversion Superstition
  • Protection
  • Salt over shoulder

Black Dog White Dog (George Priest)

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Title: Black Dog White Dog

General Information about Item:

  • Superstitions
  • Langauge: Spanish
  • Country of Origin: Honduras
  • Informant: AF
  • Date Collected: October 22, 2021

Informant Data:

  • AF was born into a family of Hondorian immigrants. She is from Miami, Florida and eventually relocated to Hanover, NH to attend college. She is a senior at Dartmouth College, studying Anthropology.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

In countries like the United States, it’s normal for people to treat dogs as family and as a source of love. However, in my other countries, dogs are just seen as regular companions, they sleep outside, they eat outside and rarely are allowed in. 

Social Context: 

In Honduras there is a large population of stray dogs. These stray dogs go around in large packs sometimes terrorizing the locals. These dogs are not vaccinated or properly trained. The real danger is getting attacked by one of these packs and needing to go get medical attention in a country which already struggles with proper medical care. 

Text:

As you walk through the streets, beware of the dogs who roam them. They will be in packs. They will be solo. They could be docile or aggressive. If you are walking through the streets and take notice of the pack of dogs, watch out for the white and black pair. If the black dog is leading, something bad is headed your way. However, if the white dog is leading the pack, you will be blessed with good luck. Overall, it is better to not find out who is leading the pack if they’re approaching you. 

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript:

  • “This is something that is always said and passed around in our culture with a greater empahsis on telling kids.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • “As a kid, I believed it and was super cautious whenever I was outside. I guess it did the job it was supposed to, keep me away from stray dogs.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • I researched around and could not find a lot of information on this supersition. It does make sense to me that they would create a superstition that would protect members of society

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

  • Customary Lore
  • Hondorian
  • Black Dog White Dog

Sal y Limon (Salt and Lemon) (George Priest)

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Title: Sal y Limon (Salt and Lemon)

General Information about Item:

  • Supersititions 
  • Langauge: Spanish
  • Country of Origin: Puerto Rico
  • Informant: AS
  • Date Collected: October 28, 2021

Informant Data:

  • AS grew up and currently lives in Chicago, Illinois. AS grew up in a predominantly black and latino/hispanic community, where they learned about the puerto rican tradition of “sal y lemon.” They have their BA in Sociology and are also a Dartmouth alum. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

Salt is said to have powers that ward off ghosts or promote good health by people of many religions and civilizations. This particular ritual appears to have originated in Buddhist tradition, where it was performed during funerals to protect one’s family. However, in Puerto Rican cultures there is a similar tradition, just one that also involves the use of a lemon or lime. 

Social Context: 

AS originally learned about this tradition when they were at a family reunion. During the family reunion family members started talking ill about each other and being disrespectful and AS noticed his mother and other relatives would throw salt over their shoulder and bite into a lemon. When AS asked their relatives why the relatives did that, they were told that it was to prevent “la maldicion” (curses) from coming true. 

Text:

Whenever someone speaks ill about the dead or about a particular person, that person or their relatives have to throw salt over their shoulder and bite into a lemon or lime to prevent the curse from happening.

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file)

Transcript:

  • “This practice is usually displayed by many puerto ricans when they’re in the presence of others (family and friends)… however, when I am with my own family it is rarely displayed…”

Informant’s Comments:

  • “I, myself, rarely ever do this and if i ever do, it is because of the pressure felt by my family.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • Across various cultures we see the use of salt to ward off evil omens and spirits. I will admit this was the first time I heard of it being used in conjuction with lemon.

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

  • Customary Lore
  • Puerto Rican
  • Salt and Lemon

Dreamcatcher on the Door (George Priest)

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Title: Dreamcatcher

General Information about Item:

  • Tools
  • Langauge: Spanish
  • Country of Origin: Peru
  • Informant: KC
  • Date Collected: October 22, 2021

Informant Data:

  • KC was born into a family of Peruvian immigrants. She initially lived in New York City, but eventually relocated to Burlington, VT to attend college. She is a junior at Dartmouth College, studying philosophy.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

In some parts of Peru, dreamcatchers are set up on either the entrance door in order to prevent evil energy and entities from visiting them in their sleep. Peruvian households are typically modeled and laid out by the matriarch of the family. 

Social Context: 

Superstitions and knowledge of culture is passed down by the women in the generation. In other words from matriarch to matriarch. In these homes, it is a sign of disrespect to enter through the back door or any other door that does not have the dreamcatcher because you are bringing outside, unknown energy in.

Item:

Dreamcatchers are often allowed to be placed in certain areas of the house: at the foot of the bed, for example, a dreamcatcher is thought to catch all bad energy and deter evil spirits from entering your dream. The dreamcatcher has webs that work as a filter and provides only good energy to pour into your dreams. 

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file)

Transcript:

  • “To this day, I place dreamcatchers on my door… it was something that was engrained with me as a kid. If I do not have a dreamcatcher on my door, I feel vunerable.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • I am able to identify those within my culture by simply noticing things such as dreamcatchers hanging on their doors. Even having dream catchers, or symbols of it, show that there is some familiarity with the meaning.

Collector’s Comments:

  • I think it is interesting to see the use of dream catchers and how their use and representation differ across cultures

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

  • Material Lore
  • Peruvian
  • Dreamcatcher

Duppy (George Priest)

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Title: Duppy

General Information about Item:

  • Folklore
  • Langauge: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: MU
  • Date Collected: October 21, 2021

Informant Data:

  • MU is an Black woman who grew up in Broward, Florida in a predominantly afro-caribbean community. MU is of Jamaican descent and was constantly surrounded by Jamaican culture. Following graduation, she moved to New York City for university studies, where she is currently a second year law student. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

In the Caribbean, specifically in Jamaica when someone dies, people only speak at their service about the good and great things the person has done. This is specifically done to ease their way into the afterlife and secure the connection between themselves and the ancestors who they look after in the afterlife.

Social Context: 

In a recent conversation with MU, she brought up the fact that in Jamaican culture people do not speak ill of the dead because of the Duppy. The Duppy is a creature that can take the form of the dead, animals and even beasts.

Text:

A long long time ago, back when the first human died, their relatives failed to give them proper guidance into the afterlife. Their family members laughed and spoke badly about their relatives preventing them from resting in addition to preventing Duppy from bringing them over. Duppy, infuriated, took their lives and took on their forms and continued to repeat the process; taking the life and form of those who disrespect their dead relatives. 

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript:

  • “In our culture, the connection to our ancestors is very important… hence the need for guidence into the after life

Informant’s Comments:

  • Nearly everyone in our culture believes that

Collector’s Comments:

  • I have never heard of the Duppy but found the connection to the culture and people to be interesting.

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

  • Customary Lore
  • Afro Carribean
  • Duppy

El Sombreon (George Priest)

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Title: El Sombreon

General Information about Item:

  • Folklore
  • Langauge: Spanish
  • Country of Origin: Colombia
  • Informant: JV
  • Date Collected: October 21, 2021

Informant Data:

  • JV grew up in Pereira Colombia, before immigrating to the US in 2000 to New York City, NY. JV lives in the predominantly Colombian neighborhood, Jackson Heights. JV is currently a college student who also works at Nike. 

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: 

This tale scares young girls into obeying their parents and into being modest and coy around men. Observe those cultural norms, or you will be forced to eat dirt. In Colombian culture, having faith is very important because it demonstrates that you have morals and values.  

Social Context:

JV grew up in Colombia. In Colombia, it is said that El Sombreon roams the streets looking for beautiful girls with long hair. If he finds you, he will make you eat dirt, stalk and even kidnap you. In order to protect themselves from this dark figure, women must cut their hair and get blessed by a priest. 

Text:

A young girl that had pretty hair and eyes – was admiring the moon and stars from her balcony. One night when she was approached and serenaded by a man in a big hat. Worried and upset that their daughter was outside so late, her parents forced her to come inside. The man in the hat returned and serenaded her each night, making it impossible for her to sleep, and whenever her parents would try to feed her, she’d find the food contaminated with dirt. Fed up, the parents cut the girl’s hair and had it blessed by a priest. This caused the figure to stop bothering her, because of the holy water & because he didn’t like girls with pixie cuts.

Associated file (a video, audio, or image file):

Transcript:

  • “This is a tradition that is often seen in our culture where everyone except the children are aware of the tale… it is used to keep them in line.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • I as a kid believed it as well

Collector’s Comments:

  • I found this tale to be interesting because it is something that is seen across various cultures in Latin America

Collector’s Name: George Priest

Tags/Keywords:

  • Verbal Lore
  • Colombian
  • Children